Chair.



M. MERNYK.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1916.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I M. MERNYK..

CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, I916.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

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MAURICE MERNYK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed June 2, 1916. Serial No. 101,297.

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, MAURICE MERNYK, a subject of the Czar of Russia, residing in the city of Detroit, in the county of Wayne, in the State of Michigan and the United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relate's to a chair back adjusting mechanism especially designed for adjustable chairs.

The present invention aims to provide a chair back adjusting mechanism that may be easily operated by the occupant of a chair, independent of any seat action, to lower the chair back to a desired and comfortable position and provision is made of means whereby the chair back may be raised to a desired inclination or restored to normal position without actuating the mechanism.

My invention further aims to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive chair back adjusting mechanism which may be concealed within the frame of a chair by the upholstery thereon and which will support the chair back against accidental displacement.

The chair back adjusting mechanism will be hereinafter described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a chair with the upholstery thereof removed to show the chair back adjusting mechanism in elevation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the greater part of the adjusting mechanism removed from a chair;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View of a portion of a chair showing the adjusting mechanism in plan;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View of a back holding member, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional View of a portion of the adjusting mechanism.

In the drawings, 1 and 2 denote side arm frames supporting a tiltable back 3 which is pivoted, as at 4. The arm frames also support a movable seat 5.

The tiltable back 3 supports a rock shaft 6 which has the ends thereof protruding into slots 01' cut away portions 7 of the arm frames. Mounted on the ends of the rock shaft 6 are back holding members 7 and 8 having. teeth 9 adapted for engagement with pins 10 and 11 extending outwardly from the arm frames 1 and 2 respectively. The back holding members 7 and 8 are somewhat in the form of segment racks and the teeth 9 of said members are shaped to ride over the pins 10 and 11 when the back 3 is raised toward normal position.

The side arm frame 1 is provided with a. block 12 for a fulcrum pin 13 and this pin extends into an intermediate slot 11 of a raising member 15. The forward end of the raising member 15 is provided with teeth or a rack 16 and the rear end thereof is provided with a slot 17. The slot 17 receives a pin 18 carried by a guide 19 pivotally held by the arm frame 1, the said pin 18 extending through a longitudinal slot 20 in the back member 7.

Pivotally connected to the inner side of the raising member 15, contiguous to the forward end thereof, is a shifting member 21 and the rear end of said member is pivotally connected, as at- 22, to the outer side of the back member 7 The forward end of the raising member 15 extends into a bracket 23 carried by the side arm frame 1 and said bracket has a bearing 24 for a rotatable shaft 25. On the outer end of the shaft 25 is a button or turning member 26 and on the inner end of said shaft is a cross head or actuating member 27 adapted to engage the teeth 17 of the raising member 15 and besides tilting said raising member upon the fulcrum pin 13, said actuating member can shift the raising member. longitudinally of the bracket 23.

Holding the forward end of the raising member 15 in engagement with the actuating member 27 is a spring 28 mounted in. the bracket 23 and engaging the lower edge of the raising member 15.

The side arm frames 1 and 2 are connected by a transverse round or brace 29 and connecting the back 3 to the brace 29 is a spring 30 adapted to assist in raising the tiltable back from an inclined position to a normal position.

Assuming that the tiltable back 3 is raised or in a normal position and it is desired to incline or lower the back, the shaft 25 is turned clockwise and as the actuating member 27 impinges upon the teeth 16 of the raising member 15, said member is tilted upon the fulcriun pin 13, thereby elevating the rear end of the member. As the pin 18 of the pivoted guide member 19 extends through the slot 20 of the back member 7, said back member Will have the teeth 9 thereof moved out of engagement with the pin 10 of the arm frame 1. Since the back members 7 and 8 are fixed upon the rock shaft 6, the back member 8 of the arm frame 2 is moved in synchronism With the back member 7 of the arm frame 1, thereby placing the back members 7 and 8 in positions which permit of the back 3 being lowered. A further rotation of the shaft 25 causes the actuating member 27 to shift the raising member 15 rearwardly, the slots 1% and 17 permitting of such movement. With the raising member 15 connected with the back member 7 by the shifting member 21, the back member 7 is forced rearwardly thereby tilting or lowering the back 3. The number of teeth in connection With the back members? and 8 and the raising member 15 determines the number of positions to Which the chair back may be adjusted, and since the shaft 25 is adapted for rotation by hand, the movements of the chair back from an upright position to an inclined position are practically intermittent.

The pins 10 and 11 of the arm frames 1 and 2 safely support the tiltable back 3 in an adjusted position and an extreme movement of the back 3 is limited by hook shaped ends 31 of the back members 7 and 8 engaging the pins 10 and 11. The teeth 9 of the back members 7 and 8 are shaped to permit of said back members receding over the pins 10 and 11 when the chair back is raised by hand.

One embodiment of my invention has been illustrated, but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a chair, arm frames, a tiltable back, back members carried by said tiltable back and extending into said arm frames and adapted to be held thereby, mechanism in one of said arm frames adapted to move said back members, said mechanism comprising a fulcrum member for raising said back members, a shifting member connecting said fulcrum member to one of said back members, and means in said arm frame adapted for moving said fulcrum member to shift said back members.

2. In a chair back shifting mechanism, the combination With arm frames and a tiltable back, of members carried by said back and extending into said arm frames, a fulcrum member in one of said arm frames adapted for raising saidback members, a shifting member connecting one of said back members to said fulcrum member, and a rotary actuating member normally engaging said fulcrum member and adapted for shifting said member to move said back members.

3. The combination With chair arm frames, a tiltable back, and back members carried by said tiltable back and extending into said chair arm frames, of a mechanism in one of said frames for shifting said tilt able back, said mechanism comprising a fulcrum member adapted for raising said back members, a shifting member connecting one of said back members to said fulcrum member and adapted for moving said back members after said members are raised by said fulcrum member, and means normally engaging said fulcrum member adapted for moving said member.

I. In a chair having arm frames anda tiltable back, a back member extending into one of said arm frames and adapted to be held thereby to support said back and permit of the back being raised to a normal position, a fulcrum member in the arm frame adapted for shifting said back member to lOWGI said tiltable back, and a rotatable member in said arm frame engaging the forward end of said fulcrumed member for moving said fulcrum member.

In testimony Whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

MAURICE MERN YK.

Witnesses:

ANNA M. DoRR, GI-IARLEs BALG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

